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General election: pay gap promises from Labour and Lib Dems as Johnson navigates floods anger – live news General election 2019: pay gap promises from Labour and Lib Dems as Johnson faces floods anger – live news
(32 minutes later)
Opposition parties are using Equal Pay Day to announce equalities packages, while Johnson tries to brush off hostile reaction from flood victimsOpposition parties are using Equal Pay Day to announce equalities packages, while Johnson tries to brush off hostile reaction from flood victims
I’m Andrew Sparrow, taking over from Matthew Weaver.
Brandon Lewis, the Home Office minister, is now being interviewed on Today. He was talking about flooding on ITV’s Good Morning Britain earlier. (See 8.23am.)
He accepts that the Tories have let people down in the past by failing to hit their target of getting net migration below 100,000.
But he claims that was partly due to the Tories being in coalition with the Lib Dems from 2010 to 2015.
Q: Which immigrants would you allow? And don’t just say the brightest and the best.
Lewis says the migration advisory committee would advise the government on this issue. The government has to look at this methodically, he says. It would take the MAC’s advice.
Q: You claim there would be surge of migration under Labour. But this claim is based on a motion passed by the Labour conference that won’t be in the manifesto.
Lewis says the Tory claim is also based on what Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell has said.
He says the Tory claim that Labour could end up allowing more than 800,000 migrants into the UK per year is an understatement.
The shadow employment secretary, Laura Pidcock, has dismissed immigration targets as “arbitrary”.The shadow employment secretary, Laura Pidcock, has dismissed immigration targets as “arbitrary”.
Speaking on Radio 4’s Today programme, Pidcock said: “We know actually that migrant labour does not undercut wages, it is exploitative bosses that seek to undermine national agreements – that’s our emphasis.” Speaking on Radio 4’s Today programme, Pidcock said:
Questioned on whether she would be happy for immigration to rise under a Labour government, Pidcock added: “I think these targets are arbitrary.”Questioned on whether she would be happy for immigration to rise under a Labour government, Pidcock added: “I think these targets are arbitrary.”
When pushed on comments in the Guardian by the leader of the Unite union, Len McCluskey, more free movement, Pidcock said: “It isn’t right that we place the blame on numbers of immigrants for wages. Actually those employers that seek to undermine those national agreements are to blame for the exploitation.” When pushed on comments in the Guardian by the leader of the Unite union, Len McCluskey, more free movement, Pidcock said:
She added: “And he [McCluskey] talked about stricter regulations and that is what we are proposing.”
Pidcock added: “I think it’s a false flag, this issue of immigration.”Pidcock added: “I think it’s a false flag, this issue of immigration.”
She then accused the media of “mischaracterising” McCluskey. She then accused the media of “mischaracterising” McCluskey. Pidcock said:
Pidcock said: “What you are actually doing is mischaracterising Len McCluskey as some kind of false division in the Labour party. Pushed again on whether she is in favour of extended free movement rights, as was voted for at the Labour party’s conference, Pidcock added:
“He is the leader of the trade union that I am a member of, he talked very clearly about there not being an environment where national terms and conditions can be undermined by exploitative bosses.” Pidcock also hit back at the CBI’s claims that Labour’s pledge to sanction businesses who cannot prove that they are working to remove their gender pay gap is “adding bureaucracy”. She said:
Pushed again on whether she is in favour of extended free movement rights, as was voted for at the Labour party’s conference, Pidcock added: “I am in favour of making sure there are conditions where no worker, whether they be British or a foreign worker are exploited in this country, because that is the real issue.”
She added: “The issue is not about migrant labour, the issue is about what kind of legislative environment we have for workers, and we will create one where all workers are protected.”
Pidcock also hit back at the CBI’s claims that Labour’s pledge to sanction businesses who cannot prove that they are working to remove their gender pay gap is “adding bureaucracy”.
She said: “We don’t want employers, and some do, to see this as a tick box-exercise where they look and say: ‘OK we do have a gender pay gap, and we’ve written down that we do, but we’re not going to do anything about that.’
“There has to be proof of how they’re working to close that gap, and if there’s absolutely no proof as to how they’re working towards the elimination of that gap then there will be some form of sanction.”
The security minister, Brandon Lewis, has defended the prime minister’s refusal to apologise over the government response to the floods in Yorkshire and the east Midlands.The security minister, Brandon Lewis, has defended the prime minister’s refusal to apologise over the government response to the floods in Yorkshire and the east Midlands.
Appearing on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, Lewis, a former floods minister, was played clips of Boris Johnson being heckled about his response to the flood and why he had refused to say sorry.Appearing on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, Lewis, a former floods minister, was played clips of Boris Johnson being heckled about his response to the flood and why he had refused to say sorry.
Lewis said: “Obviously, it’s not the PM’s fault that there’s been a flood.”Lewis said: “Obviously, it’s not the PM’s fault that there’s been a flood.”
He also suggested Johnson had held back from visiting flood-hit areas because he didn’t want to hamper the clean-up operation. He also suggested Johnson had held back from visiting flood-hit areas because he didn’t want to hamper the clean-up operation. He said:
He said: “Sometimes when a big group of politicians and the media turn up, they get in the way and they distract people from doing the job. Lewis was challenged on why Doncaster, one of the areas worst hit by the floods, has had its funding cut by 50% since 2010. He defended the government austerity policy. He said:
“The prime minister was able to visit when it’s right, not distracting from the core work of getting people’s lives back together as quickly as possible.” Asked if he was claiming that 50% of Doncaster budget was being wasted, he said:
Lewis was challenged on why Doncaster, one of the areas worst hit by the floods, has had its funding cut by 50% since 2010. He defended the government austerity policy. The Brexit party leader, Nigel Farage, has rejected pressure to withdraw more of his candidates in Labour or Liberal Democrat seats.
Lewis: “We had such a dreadful economic situation back in 2010 that we inherited that we had to reduce spending so the country could get back gradually to living within its means. Local authorities are a huge part of the public sector expense. And if it was right that they played their part and there was a lot of efficiencies we could find. Speaking to Today, on the day when nominations for candidates close, he said:
Asked if he was claiming that 50% of Doncaster budget was being wasted, he said: “The 50% [cut] refers to just one part of their budget. It doesn’t include the council tax and other income they get. So it not a 50% cut overall. He also criticised the Conservatives for refusing to do a deal with the Brexit party in Labour seats. “I’ve realised that the Conservatives want a Conservative majority in parliament, not a Brexit majority in parliament.”
“When we have a situation like flooding, that’s why we have what’s called the Bellwin scheme and that’s something that kicks in to take on in this kind of natural disaster.” He added:
The Brexit Party leader, Nigel Farage, has rejected pressure to withdraw more of his candidates in Labour or Liberal Democrat seats.
Speaking to Today, on the day when nominations for candidates close, he said: “We’re going to fight 300 seats and that’s exactly what we’re going to do.”
“The job of the Brexit Party is to hold him (Boris Johnson) to account, because too many times over the last three years the Conservatives have made promises and not delivered.”
He also criticised the Conservative for refusing to do a deal with the Brexit Party in Labour seats. “I’ve realised is that the Conservatives want a Conservative majority in Parliament, not a Brexit majority in Parliament.”
He added: “There are very clearly seats in which we are the lead challenger and their are other seats in which they are the lead challenger to Labour, and we could have done a deal on that basis, but the priority for the Conservative Party, they do not want the Brexit Party to get seats in Parliament.”
“They’d rather risk not winning the election than having a Leave majority, a Leave alliance.”
He also criticised his old ally Arron Banks, who urged him to withdraw more candidates. Farage said Banks was suffering from “Brexhaustion”.He also criticised his old ally Arron Banks, who urged him to withdraw more candidates. Farage said Banks was suffering from “Brexhaustion”.
And he claimed the election will be decided by tactical voting. And he claimed the election would be decided by tactical voting.
Farage said:Farage said:
Luciana Berger, the Liberal Democrat spokeswoman for health and social care, has defended the party’s insistence on putting up a candidate in Canterbury despite the previous candidate decision to stand aside in favour of Labour.Luciana Berger, the Liberal Democrat spokeswoman for health and social care, has defended the party’s insistence on putting up a candidate in Canterbury despite the previous candidate decision to stand aside in favour of Labour.
Berger, who defected from Labour earlier this year, conceded that the Labour candidate’s, Rosie Duffield, is “a very lovely person”. But speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme she added:Berger, who defected from Labour earlier this year, conceded that the Labour candidate’s, Rosie Duffield, is “a very lovely person”. But speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme she added:
Berger pointed out that Labour had refused to take part in cross party talks on a remain pact. She said: Berger pointed out that Labour had refused to take part in cross-party talks on a remain pact. She said:
The papersThe papers
Matthew Weaver brings us one of the more disturbing stories of the day.Matthew Weaver brings us one of the more disturbing stories of the day.
Boris Johnson dropped a reference to “onanism” from an election campaign speech after previews of the text drew criticism from the opposition.Boris Johnson dropped a reference to “onanism” from an election campaign speech after previews of the text drew criticism from the opposition.
On Tuesday night Johnson’s advisers released extracts from the speech the prime minister was due to give at an electric taxi factory in the West Midlands on Wednesday. In the texts given to journalists, Johnson likened Labour’s approach to spending, Brexit and Scottish independence to “self-obsession and onanism”.On Tuesday night Johnson’s advisers released extracts from the speech the prime minister was due to give at an electric taxi factory in the West Midlands on Wednesday. In the texts given to journalists, Johnson likened Labour’s approach to spending, Brexit and Scottish independence to “self-obsession and onanism”.
But when Johnson delivered the speech the word onanism was left out. Asked about the omission by the Sun’s political editor, Tom Newton Dunn, Johnson tried to laugh it off.But when Johnson delivered the speech the word onanism was left out. Asked about the omission by the Sun’s political editor, Tom Newton Dunn, Johnson tried to laugh it off.
He said: “All I can say is that a stray early draft seems to have somehow found its way into your otherwise peerless copy, by a process that I don’t pretend to understand, but I will make inquiries.”He said: “All I can say is that a stray early draft seems to have somehow found its way into your otherwise peerless copy, by a process that I don’t pretend to understand, but I will make inquiries.”
Reports of the pre-briefed version of the speech led to a spike in Google searches for the arcane term for masturbation.Reports of the pre-briefed version of the speech led to a spike in Google searches for the arcane term for masturbation.
Home Secretary Priti Patel has promised that a Conservative government would reduce immigration overall, in an attack on Labour’s immigration policy. The home secretary, Priti Patel, has promised that a Conservative government would reduce immigration overall, in an attack on Labour’s immigration policy.
Patel criticised Labour’s immigration policy, which has not been announced yet, saying:Patel criticised Labour’s immigration policy, which has not been announced yet, saying:
Diane Abbott, the shadow home secretary, said:Diane Abbott, the shadow home secretary, said:
Boris Johnson has hit back at claims he is “in cahoots” with Nigel Farage. In a speech he said that in fact “the Sturgeon-Corbyn alliance would consign this country to months, if not years, of dither, delay, discord, division”. Corbyn said Labour was “not doing pacts, not doing deals” if it failed to win a majority in the election, rejecting suggestions fuelled by Sturgeon that he had privately agreed to support a second independence referendum in exchange for Scottish National party support. Instead, he challenged Sturgeon to support a minority Labour government.Boris Johnson has hit back at claims he is “in cahoots” with Nigel Farage. In a speech he said that in fact “the Sturgeon-Corbyn alliance would consign this country to months, if not years, of dither, delay, discord, division”. Corbyn said Labour was “not doing pacts, not doing deals” if it failed to win a majority in the election, rejecting suggestions fuelled by Sturgeon that he had privately agreed to support a second independence referendum in exchange for Scottish National party support. Instead, he challenged Sturgeon to support a minority Labour government.
Good morning and welcome to the Guardian’s live coverage of the day’s politics news.Good morning and welcome to the Guardian’s live coverage of the day’s politics news.
It is Equal Pay Day – when the average woman effectively stops earning for the year, taking into account a mean gender pay gap of 13.1%. The Lib Dems and Labour will use it to announce measures to tackle the gender pay gap. The Liberal Democrats have pledged to oblige bigger companies to publish data on employment levels by gender, as well as for BAME and LGBT staff, and would push for a law to end the so-called pink tax, whereby companies charge higher prices for fundamentally identical products such as razors or deodorants simply because they are marketed at women. Labour has pledged to eradicate the gender pay gap by 2030 through measures such as fines for organisations that fail to report on the subject, and by extending the reporting requirement from firms with 250 or more employees to those with more than 50.It is Equal Pay Day – when the average woman effectively stops earning for the year, taking into account a mean gender pay gap of 13.1%. The Lib Dems and Labour will use it to announce measures to tackle the gender pay gap. The Liberal Democrats have pledged to oblige bigger companies to publish data on employment levels by gender, as well as for BAME and LGBT staff, and would push for a law to end the so-called pink tax, whereby companies charge higher prices for fundamentally identical products such as razors or deodorants simply because they are marketed at women. Labour has pledged to eradicate the gender pay gap by 2030 through measures such as fines for organisations that fail to report on the subject, and by extending the reporting requirement from firms with 250 or more employees to those with more than 50.
Boris Johnson has come under fire for his government’s slow response to the flooding across parts of England’s north and has declined to apologise, saying a huge amount of work was going on to help and compensate victims. The PM spent time in deluged regions of Yorkshire, the east Midlands and Lincolnshire on Wednesday.Boris Johnson has come under fire for his government’s slow response to the flooding across parts of England’s north and has declined to apologise, saying a huge amount of work was going on to help and compensate victims. The PM spent time in deluged regions of Yorkshire, the east Midlands and Lincolnshire on Wednesday.
Corbyn has criticised the government, saying its spending on flood defences until 2021 “heavily favours London and the south-east of England”. Richard Partington has fact-checked this claim, and while it is technically true, those figures are seriously influenced by long-term funding for Thames estuary projects running up to 2100. Over the spending period to 2021, Labour is wrong, with more spent per head on flood defences in Yorkshire and the Humber.Corbyn has criticised the government, saying its spending on flood defences until 2021 “heavily favours London and the south-east of England”. Richard Partington has fact-checked this claim, and while it is technically true, those figures are seriously influenced by long-term funding for Thames estuary projects running up to 2100. Over the spending period to 2021, Labour is wrong, with more spent per head on flood defences in Yorkshire and the Humber.
I’ll be running the blog for the first hour or so, before handing over to my colleagues. You can get in touch with me on Twitter.I’ll be running the blog for the first hour or so, before handing over to my colleagues. You can get in touch with me on Twitter.
Thanks for reading.Thanks for reading.